Week 1: Called to a Body, YWAM Family and community
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Understanding YWAM / DTS. Community living and practicing one another passages. Right and healthy relationships as we live and learn together. Importance of ownership and personal responsibility in one on ones, personal growth etc. Examining God’s heart for the neighbourhood we are in.
RATIONALE
- The first week of a DTS is vital to have the students bond with God, one another (the YWAM/DTS community) and the location they are in.
- This is also a week to lay the foundations of our corporate practices (including YWAM values).
- Along with needed logistical information (orientation to the community, location, school expectations etc.), this is a time for the students to recognise the vital role they must play in the living and learning process.
- This is a time the expectation of each person bringing their unique voice and contribution to the community (worship, prayer, relationships) is reinforced.
Week 2: Nature and Character of God
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Understanding God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – his nature and how he chooses to act.
RATIONALE
- Continuing to build from week one, this week is vital to expose students specifically to any wrong concepts they may have of God, while reinforcing truth from God’s word as to who God is (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and how he chooses to act towards his creation.
Week 3: God’s Story (the Bible) and Our story
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Engage with God’s big story (metanarrative) so as to recognise my personal story in the context of God’s work and ways in individuals lives throughout history.
RATIONALE
- This is a time for students to understand that the Bible is the story of God, who longs for us to know him and make him known to those that do not know him. We are each part of his story and co-labour with him in the walking out of his story.
- By practicing various spiritual disciplines (e.g. meditation, Lectio Divina, Scripture reading etc.) we can increasingly engage with God for life in the world.
Week 4: Worship, Intercession, Spiritual Warfare
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Recognising God’s voice, the power of prayer and God’s heart for the world. Understanding the role we play in fighting against rulers and principalities in the spiritual realm. Recognising that worship is a right response of our heart to who God is.
RATIONALE
- We continue to deepen the understanding that God calls us to live as his Image Bearers in the world and that we walk in his authority by the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
- We respond to who God is in corporate and individual worship.
Week 5: Jesus, Sin, and the Cross
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Examine what went wrong in the fall of man and its impact on creation. Examine why the Son came as one of us, what his life was all about and why through his death, resurrection and ascension we can know the Father and live out of our adopted sonship.
RATIONALE
- In this week, we engage the students in a process of further recognising the effects of sin and separation as a result of the fall (both personally and in creation), whilst deepening personal responses and personal responsibility in how we choose to live our life as Renewed Image Bearers.
Week 6: Holy Spirit and Discipleship: Becoming like Jesus
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Living in a way that increasingly cooperates with the indwelling Holy Spirit as God’s Image Bearers in the human journey.
RATIONALE
- The emphasis this week is to remind the students of who lives within them as Renewed Image Bearers and the Spirit’s role in the spiritual formation process.
- Our aim is to reinforce the partnership between living with Jesus and how he related to God, others and engaged with the world.
Week 7: Fear of the Lord / Making Jesus Lord
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Living and relating to God, others and the world in a right manner that is consistent with who he has called us to be and how he has called us to live.
Laying down rights, moving in the opposite spirit and allowing God to challenge areas in our life that are inconsistent with who he is.
RATIONALE
- The aim of this week is to bring continuing awareness of God’s nature and character and his desire that we would live holy lives that bring him glory. Each one of us, therefore, affects others when we do not walk in right ways and in right responses.
- We continue to practice and give opportunities to lay down personal rights for the sake of others, to walk in the opposite spirit etc.
Week 8: Calling, Destiny, and Identity
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Examining ways God calls people into their destiny by equipping them with gifts and abilities, life experiences and placing them in strategic networks of relationship. Understanding our identity as a son or daughter of God in light of who he is and what he calls us to as his Image Bearer in creation.
RATIONALE
- The desire for this week is that students would identify and recognise God’s work and ways in their lives and his unique calling to each person in each vocational choice, sphere of society etc..
- This is also a week to deepen the reality that we are each uniquely gifted and to further strengthen one’s true identity in Christ.
Week 9: Biblical Christian Worldview
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Examining ways the basic fundamental questions of life are answered in various worldviews (e.g. Why am I here? Where am I going? How do I know?), as well as how God instructs us to think and live in all realms and spheres of society with no sacred–secular divide.
RATIONALE
- Our purpose for this week is to recognise that each cultural worldview, whilst unique, has aspects that are in need of redemption and realignment with how God thinks and sees (moves) in the world.
- We want the students to understand that by careful observation, they can discern worldview distortions that are not in line with God’s truth (both personally and in nations), and can increasingly bring these things into alignment.
Week 10: The Missions Mandate: Called to the All.
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
The Abrahamic Covenant and Great Commission – a call to impact the all (spheres of society, nations, people groups etc.).
RATIONALE
- The emphasis in this week’s teaching is to remind the school that as Renewed Image Bearers, we each have a general and specific mission mandate to live as Jesus did in all the world.
Week 11: The Power of the Gospel (Evangelism)
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Examining the Gospel message of the kingdom of God and Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension, as well as the power inherent in its delivery to touch those that have not heard.
RATIONALE
- This week’s emphasis is to once again recognise God’s redemptive work of restoring his people (nations) through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.
- The goal is to have the school (individuals) understand the inherent power of the Gospel message and the authority given for us to proclaim this message in all the world.
- This is also a week to practice explaining the Gospel to those that are at different stages in their understanding of who God is (e.g.. sharing testimonies etc.).
Week 12: Working Together, Outreach Prep and Discipling Nations
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Preparing for Outreach by examining issues surrounding effective team work e.g. unity, team dynamics, humility, servant hearts, going as learners, conflict resolution, team building etc.
RATIONALE
- Given that this is the last week prior to Outreach, this would be a time to continue intentionally building teams that would minister and operate effectively in the various locations.
- This is also opportunity for individuals to be further bonded with team mates and to form team identities.
DTS Outreach
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Putting into practice via teachable moments and intentional planning, the various topics taught during the Lecture Phase.
RATIONALE
- This is a time to help the students apply the material covered during the Lecture Phase of the school, in the context of living and ministering in a cross-cultural setting.
- The primary emphasis during Outreach is for the students to engage in intentional evangelism opportunities and ministry experience.
End of school Debriefing / Re-entry stress / Returning Home
ACTIVITY / CONTENT
Dealing with re-entry stress in a healthy way and how to be a catalyst for missions and possible change as you return home. Reviewing the entire DTS experience, how have you grown, changed etc.?
RATIONALE
- The intent of this final week of the DTS is to have the students engage in a meaningful process of evaluation of their time, experience, things learnt etc.
- This is a time of thanksgiving for all God has done in and through each person in the community.
- This week is also to help the students prepare themselves for a healthy return to life after the DTS is finished, in whatever sphere they find themselves engaged in.
